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Hm Rebekah Send a noteboard - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM
I found it bizarre that the Pilate chapers were so good but much of the rest of the book felt like a bad translation. What was up with that? I wonder how it comes off in Russian.


I'm possibly making stuff up, but I think Tim thought that too.

I didn't.

The two bits were obviously meant to feel different - one being the story written by one of the characters in the other story.

The Pilate story is very lucid, easy to follow, and understandable. It's a retelling of a very famous story, but this time from the "bad guy's" perspective. We know what's coming with the main action, so we can focus on the character instead. (At least, that's what I thought.)

The other story is completely different. It's madcap, it's anarchic, it's fantastical and bizarre, and so far out of the realm of normal life that it's hard to follow. I think that came across perfectly in the translation I read. It wasn't meant to feel smooth and accessible.

So. It mightn't be the translation? Or it might be a combination of the two things?
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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The Joint Book Club: Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:36:47 AM 1832 Views
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You don't have to post only under those headings. Rebekah - 15/07/2010 04:39:36 PM 1266 Views
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Yeah. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:46:33 PM 1183 Views
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I'm not sure if it's the translation, Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:17:41 PM 1171 Views
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There wasn't much character-building, was there? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1349 Views
Too much crazy. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 1287 Views
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Does it make more sense if Aphranius is seen as... Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:39:46 AM 1107 Views
Ah. Tim - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 1223 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1323 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 1200 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 1239 Views
Oh, so that was them making up a story to tell anyone else if needed? *NM* Tim - 28/07/2010 08:29:10 AM 659 Views
Mm, not just that. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 1243 Views
That's how I read it, also. Michael - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 1266 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 1296 Views
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You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1317 Views
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Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1282 Views
may be... aragornital - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 1155 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* Tim - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 636 Views
Ivanovich's dream. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:43:43 PM 1305 Views
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The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. Ghavrel - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 1277 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 1142 Views
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Was wondering about that. *NM* Jacob - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 616 Views
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That's neat. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 1198 Views
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I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1392 Views
I haven't collected my thoughts on the experience of reading the novel yet, but I wanted to share... Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:50:03 PM 1294 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1304 Views
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I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... Larry - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 1075 Views
My thoughts Tom - 20/07/2010 04:50:06 AM 1433 Views
Does this story translate well? Jacob - 20/07/2010 06:27:50 PM 1203 Views
I honestly have no clue. Tom - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1301 Views
That is what I thought you'd say. Jacob - 21/07/2010 02:04:26 PM 1181 Views
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There is a Russian author who believes Margarita was Gorky's girlfriend. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:15:13 AM 1293 Views
More about evil in this book. Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:01:40 AM 1229 Views
Aha. There's the question I was going to ask: Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:32:17 PM 1080 Views
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1466 Views
Any time you have a dual story, the invitation to draw parallels exists. Tom - 10/08/2010 05:56:23 PM 1190 Views
For all the expressed interest, this book club discussion is languishing. *NM* Tom - 21/07/2010 02:07:23 AM 593 Views
I am trying to catch up. I've had NO time to read lately. nossy - 21/07/2010 02:58:23 AM 1269 Views
An anniversary, a birthday, and a successful job interview do tend to slow me down somewhat Larry - 21/07/2010 02:08:10 PM 1124 Views
I've nearly finished. Should be done tomorrow morning. *NM* Tim - 21/07/2010 11:22:05 PM 579 Views
Vacation and all the stuff associated with it. Will try to write something, but it might be a while. *NM* Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:03:57 AM 602 Views
Give me a day or two to catch up on things and finish the book. *NM* Legolas - 24/07/2010 11:14:17 PM 574 Views
Names. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 1228 Views
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I thought that was so. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1320 Views
It felt like two different books.One part I felt like I was wading through a meaningless fluff. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:45:52 PM 1268 Views
Hm Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 1273 Views
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